Exploring the Meaning of Sitometron in Greek

σιτομέτριον means “grain ration” and appears in Jesus’ teaching about a household steward in Luke 12:42. In that setting it belongs to the ordinary, concrete work of provisioning a community under authority.

Root and Related Words

σιτομέτριον is built from σῖτος (sitos), “grain” (Strong’s G4621), and μέτρον (metron), “measure” (Strong’s G3358). The combination ties the idea of grain to measured allocation, the sort of counted-out provision that can be distributed to others with regularity and fairness.

Occurrences

Luke 12:42 — “The Lord said, “Who then is the faithful and wise steward, whom his lord will set over his household, to give them their portion of food at the right times?”

In Luke 12:42, the scene is organized around roles and responsibilities inside a “household.” The “lord” appoints a “steward” over that household, and the steward’s central task is to “give them their portion of food at the right times.” σιτομέτριον functions here as the name for that portion: an allotment that is defined, assignable, and capable of being given out. The verse does not present the steward’s work as improvisation or occasional generosity; it is scheduled (“at the right times”) and directed to the needs of those under his care (“their portion”). The word therefore contributes the sense of a concrete provision that can be responsibly managed—something that can be withheld, delayed, increased, or reduced, and thus something that reveals the steward’s reliability under the lord’s trust.

The immediate rhetorical focus is on the character of the steward—“faithful and wise”—but the test of that character is pictured in the steady administration of the household’s food. By framing the steward’s duty in terms of a measured grain provision, σιτομέτριον places the emphasis on practical stewardship rather than mere status. The “household” depends on an ongoing supply; the steward’s appointment is shown to be meaningful because it meets a daily need. In this way the word anchors the saying in the everyday realities of feeding a community and highlights the steward’s accountability to both the lord who sets him “over” the household and the people who receive the ration.

Sense and Usage

As “grain ration,” σιτομέτριον points to food understood as an assigned share rather than as an undefined abundance. The wording in Luke 12:42 places that ration within a structure of time (“at the right times”) and relationship (“his lord…his household”). A ration is suited to a setting where many mouths must be fed from a store that has to be managed; it suggests planned distribution rather than sporadic eating. The term therefore naturally pairs with the image of a steward: someone entrusted with resources that are not his own and expected to distribute them consistently.

The saying’s logic depends on the ration being something that can be “given” in a way that is recognizable as correct or incorrect. If the household’s provision were vague, the steward’s behavior would be harder to evaluate; but a ration implies a standard—there is a known portion that belongs to those in the household. The phrase “their portion of food” also presents the recipients as having a rightful share within the household order. σιτομέτριον thus fits the moral and social contours of the scene: entrusted authority is exercised for the good of others through timely, appropriate provision.

Because the ration is linked to timing, the word also carries an implied rhythm of care. Food distribution is not merely about quantity; it is about suitability to the moment. In the picture Jesus draws, faithfulness and wisdom show themselves in meeting needs when they arise. σιτομέτριον is therefore not a decorative detail but a compact way to speak about the concrete responsibilities of oversight: tracking what is needed, when it is needed, and ensuring that provision reaches the household in an orderly way.

Finally, the household setting keeps the term grounded in communal life. A ration belongs to shared existence—people living under one roof, dependent on a common supply, and affected by the steward’s decisions. By using a word that combines grain with measured distribution, the verse portrays stewardship as a task where justice, prudence, and attentiveness are expressed through something as ordinary as giving out food.

Imagery

The imagery of σιτομέτριον in Luke 12:42 is domestic and administrative: a store of grain, a steward with authority, and a household that waits for provision “at the right times.” The word invites the reader to picture care that is both tangible and regulated—food that can be portioned and delivered in a way that makes dependability visible.

Sources: Lexical data from Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance and the Translators Brief Lexicon of Extended Strongs for Greek (STEPBible, CC BY). Occurrence data from the Translators Amalgamated Greek New Testament (STEPBible, CC BY). Scripture quotations from the World English Bible (public domain).